Ighalo, Martial, Silva, Akinfenwa Up For PFA Award

Watford’s Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo is in contention for the first PFA Fans’ Player of the Month Awards nominated by the expert panel of judges of Sky Sports.

Ighalo who has scored four goals in seven games for the Hornets faces stiff competition for the award from Manchester United new boy Anthony Martial, Manchester City stars David Silva and Vincent Kompany.

Also in the running for the award is Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez – who has scored five goals in six Premier League games – and Victor Moses’ teammate, Dimitri Payet, whose three goals and two assists have lifted West Ham to third in the table.

In the Sky Bet Football League, no Nigerian player made the shortlist with Charlie Austin (QPR), Adam Armstrong (Coventry City) and Kemar Roofe (Oxford United) vying for the top prize.

While in League Two, AFC Wimbledon’s burly forward Adebayo Akinfenwa is the only Nigerian on the shortlist.

Sky Sports pundits Paul Merson, Ian Holloway and Peter Beagrie are part of the PFA Fans Player of the Month panel.

They will be joined by Mike Riley, general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials, and Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters Federation, as well as the winning fan from each month.

After the final weekend of league action, an even shorter list of leading contenders will be announced, however voting will remain open until Wednesday, September 30. The winner will be announced before the round of fixtures on October 3.